Prayer and Reflection during the Coronavirus Pandemic

 

Asking for Trouble? (A Palm Sunday poem)
by Ruth Connolly
 
Excitement grew to fever pitch,
The army drafted to the town,
Authority must be maintained,
And troublemakers be put down.
 
 
The city’s full to bursting point,
Informers mingle with the crowd.
Peace must be kept at any price,
No demonstrations are allowed.
 
 
Now church and state for once agree,
‘Arrest all suspects without charge!’    
The individual doesn’t count
When vested interests are so large.
 
 
He could have stayed in Galilee.
He could have walked unnoticed by.
Instead he rode, the King of Kings!
Hosanna!   Demonstrator,   Die
 
Prayer written by a friend of Brian's at his Church
Father God

From whom all blessings flow
Look favourably on us here below
Embrace us all and give us hope
And don’t let the country run out of soap
Comfort those who have their doubts
And fill the supermarket shelves with sprouts
Help us to remember our long ago hols
And keep up the supply of toilet rolls
Dear Lord we ask You to especially bless
All those in the NHS
And when together we’ve seen this through
We’ll meet again to worship you.

Amen
            

 prayers of hope & healing 

God hears our prayer and answers each one, though his love marks time

and his ways are his own.

Dorothy Kerin

 

Merciful God,

you have prepared for those who love you

such good things as pass our understanding,

pour into our hearts such love towards you

that we, loving you above all things,

may obtain your promises

which exceed all that we can desire,

through Jesus Christ our Lord

 

Father,

your word tells us that faith

is being sure of what we hope for

and certain of what we do not see.

Fill me with a firm hope in your promises

and a living faith in your power.

 

Work your healing in me, Living God,

that I may be whole in body mind and spirit

to praise you and serve you all my life

I ask this through Jesus Christ

your Son the Healer,  Amen

 

God of healing and hope,

in Jesus you meet us

in our places of pain and fear. 

Look with mercy

on those who have contracted the new virus,

on any who are vulnerable,

on all who feel in danger

and on those who minister to the sick. 

Through this time of global concern,

 by your Holy Spirit

bring out the best not the worst in us. 

Make us more aware

of our interdependence on each other,

and of the strength

that comes from being one body in you. 

 

A Prayer for today, tomorrow and always

Our Father in heaven,

Holy is your name.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us

 

PRAYER FOR A PANDEMIC

May we who are merely inconvenienced

remember those whose lives are at stake.

May we who have no risk factors

remember those most vulnerable.

May we who have the luxury of working from home

remember those who must choose

between their health and earning the rent.

May we have the flexibility to care for our children

when the schools are closed.

remember those who have no options.

May we who are losing our margin money

in the turmoil of the economic market

remember those who have no margin at all.

May we who settle in for quarantine at home

remember those who have no country.

Let us choose love

during this time when we cannot physically

wrap our arms around each other.

Let us find ways to be the

loving embrace of God to neighbour and stranger.  

Help us each day to seek your presence more and more.
Fill our hearts with love for you.
 

Amen

Cameron Bellm

 

And finally offer to God and pray in the name of Jesus for:

* those suffering ill health,

* especially many affected by the corona virus.

* workers and carers

* medical profession

* emergency services

* our government 

* those making important decisions

* family and friends

* yourself.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.

Not as the world gives do I give to you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14

 

Lord, for tomorrow and it’s needs I do not pray.

Keep me, my God, from stain of sin,

just for today.

Now set a seal upon my lips, for this I pray.

Keep me from wrong or idle words,

just for today.

Let me be slow to do my will, prompt to obey,

and keep me, use me,

just for today.

 

“The Lord bless you
    and keep you,
the Lord make his face

to shine upon you
    and be gracious to you,
 the Lord turn his face

toward you
    and give you peace.”